Rudesheim is on the western edge of the south-facing Rheingau, where the Rhine then makes a sharp turn north. There’s a statue of Germania (not unlike Britannia) at the top of the hill, the car ferry from Bingen below. A cable car crosses the vines. We had long been searching for a great Rüdesheim Riesling and it was a BIO-vintner on another river, Rudi Trossen from the Mosel, who pointed us towards Peter and Tania Kreuzberger of Asbach-Kretschmar.
Peter and Tania met in Schloss Reinhartshausen in Erbach. Peter had recently finished his studies in Heilbronn and Tania was an intern. In 1992 Peter went to work at Asbach-Kretschmar, a small winery in Rudesheim owned by the Asbach family, who produce Germany’s best known Brandy, Asbach-Uralt.
In 1995 the Asbach family offered to sell the 4 hectares of vines and machinery to Peter and Tania. In 1999 they moved into their house and winery in a narrow cobble-stoned street in the village of Winkel – they were all set.
Peter and Tania apply such attention and loving care to their small parcels of vines: whenever we call they seem to be working in the vineyards. They have parcels in Hallgarten (Hendelberg), Winkel (Hasensprung – Hare’s Leap) and several scattered around Rudesheim, including Berg Roseneck.
Organic for over two decades: the previous owners started the conversion in 1992.
Peter and Tania’s Rieslings are benchmark Rheingau; opulent, oily, with an almost unctuous Baroque perfume emerging as the wine warms up.
